Adjustable bulkhead for freight-cars



S. B. SHORT.

ADJUSTABLE BULKHEAD FOR FREIGHT CAHS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZO, 1919.

1.,327, Patented Jan. 13, 1920 III/"I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII L T T q; 41 13W A '1 TORNE y UNITED STATES PATENT orr on.

SAMUEL BOYKIN SHORT, OEHUMIBOLDT, TENNESSEE.

ADJUSTABLE BULKHEAD FOR FREIGHT-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application filed .Tune 20, 1919. Serial No. 305,620.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Bomm SHORT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Humboldt, county of Gibson, and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Bulkhead for Frei ht- Cars, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relatesto adjustable bulkheads for freight cars. In loading merchandise into freight cars, in less than full car load lots, it is difficult to so arrange it that it will not be disarranged by sudden starts and stops, due to the operation of the train. More especially is this the case when small lots of freight are taken on at difierent points along the line. In such cases it is only possible to pile the freight upon the floor of the car and trust to-Providence that a minimum of damage will result from the jolting of the train. When the outer. surfaces of the containers are smooth, and consequently will slide easily on the floor, and on each other, and the contents are of a nature such as small berries or fruits, and are easily damaged the conditions are aggravated. In some instances hurriedly constructed bulkheads of boards are erected, that in a measure serve the purpose, but

they are difficult to shift in order to accommodate additional lots of freight, and the train crews as a rule do not have time to handle them; Perishable articles, as a rule, are shipped in refrigerator cars and the owners thereofobject to their being marred by nailing.

An object of this invention is to provide a bulkhead which may be positioned within a railroad car a spaced distance from an end thereof,thereby orming a compartment of ,suitable size for freight at hand, and which may readily be shifted to enlarge the compartment to accommodate additional quantities. v

A further object is to provide a device as characterized, which will be economical in construction and efiicient and durable in service.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specificat on, wherein is set forth an embodiment of the inventlon, but it is to be understood that such changes and modifications may be resorted to as come .within the scope of the claims ap pended hereunto.

In the drawing wherein similar reference characters designate like parts in the several, views, Figure 1, 1s a longitudinal section of removed from a car, and showing a hinged section partly open.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the'reference character -10- designates a railroad car of conventional construction, comprising a floor l1, a ceiling -l2, end walls l3- and side Walls l5, The side walls have door ways -16.' The floor and ceiling are provided with opposed longitudinal grooves, or channels l7- which are covered or overlaid with metallic bars l8, 19- which are provided with a plurality of spaced perforations -20'. The bars 18, are sunk in the floor, lying flush with the surface thereof, in order that they Will-offer no obstruction to the movement thereover. A bulkhead -2l, which may be of any suitable size, or desired construction is provided on its lower edge with projection or spurs -22 adapted to be engaigedin selected perforations in the lower bars 18, and with slidable bolts -23 1 adapted to be projected into perforations in the upper bars 19. With the spurs and bolts they need not necessarily base, as they may as well be in staggered relationship, and there; may be more points of engagement at the floor line than there are at the roof or vice versa. Preferably the bulkhead is provided with a hinged section -25-, and it is provided with slidingbolts-26, '27 at the bottom and at the top, these bolts are operatively' connected by means of links -28 with a hand lever 29v being connected thereto respectively on each side of its pivotal point. Thebolts 23 are each operatively connected by means of links 31- with hand levers -32. The hand levers may each be provided with a hinged hasp 33 which is provided with a slot 34' adapted to be placed over a staple '-35- where itmay be secured by suitable means such as a padlock or seal, such as is usually used for sealing cars, or both. In this way .a sealed compartment may be provided that may only be opened at a predetermined point. While as previously stated the bulkhead may be of any desirable construction, as herewith illustrated it consists of a plurality of vertically arranged T irons and angles, certain of which -40- are disposed so that the flanges thereof face the merchandise while the others as 41- are reversely ositioned, and carry the locking devices.

he angles 42 are disposed at' the contiguous edges of the body and the hinged section and are connected by means of hin es -43. The respective T irons, and

ang es of the body portion and hinged sec tions are connected by suitably spaced members such as rods 44 which extend through and are suitably secured in the stems of the respective irons.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced a bulkhead that may readily be adjustedat any point intermediate the length of the car, which will hold the freight securely a ainst displacement, which will afford ready access to retained freight, which may be easily shifted to compensate for the removal of, or to provide room for additional freight, and that b its use locked compartments may be provided that will in nowise interfere withthe free circulationof air in refrigerator ears.

Having thus described my invention so that those skilled in the art pertaining thereto can make and use the same.

I claim: 1. A bulkhead as characterized, comprising a main section and aldoor section in hinged relation thereto, said sections each comprising spaced intersecting members, certain of the members of the main section having projections adapted to be engaged with the floor of a car, and with locking elements adapted to be projected into engagement with the roof of the car, and said door section having1 locking elements adapted to be projecte into engagement with both the floor and the roof. 7

2. A movable bulkhead comprising a plurality of vertically disposed T irons their stems having a plurality of alined perforations, transverse members secured in said perforations holding the irons in spaced relationship, certain of said irons arranged with their angles facing forward and being provided with engaging points projected from their lower ends adapted to be engaged in the floor of a car and .having slidable bolts on their faces adapted to be projected beyond their upperends.

3." A' movable bulkhead comprising a main section and having a hinged door section, each consisting of a plurality of vertically disposed T irons the stems of which are prov1 ed with alined perforat1ons,-transverse members extended through said perforations and holdin said irons in spaced relationship, certaino the irons being so arranged that their angles face forward, the angles of the others facing the rear, those in the main section which face forward having engaging-points-projectin from their lower ends and having slidin olts on their faces projecting beyond their upper ends and that iron which faces forward in the door section havin a sliding bolt at each end thereof ada ted to be projected beyond the ends thereo SAMUEL BOYKIN SHORT. 

